Over the past few months several menswear colleagues have mentioned that fashion designer Jeffrey Banks, who started his career at Ralph Lauren, was writing a preppy book. Then a couple weeks ago, as I exited the J. Press warehouse sale, I received a phone call from Mr. Banks, who was trying to track down the origin of a photo that had appeared here.

Now via a Japanese Twitter post I just learned more about the book: The title is “Preppy: Cultivating Ivy Style,” the publisher is Rizzoli, and the book is already on Amazon.

When Banks and I spoke, he complimented me on the site, saying in effect that he hopes the book is as good.

Oh Crap. A J. Press warehouse sale? Well thats one I never knew about. Guess those of us in the hinterlands were not notified. Of course, unless I happened to be on a business or pleasure trip, I wouldn’t have been able to attend anyway. Sure wish we had a J. Press somewhere in the midwest.

To quote Alan C., “He has the wrong button buttoned, not encouraging.” Perhaps although the book is titled “Preppy, Cultivating Ivy Style” it is actually advocating some sort of Edwardian Revival style.

The cover does not depict anything that I would consider ivy style or preppy style. It is more like a club kid sort of look, throwing together all sorts of miscellaneous vaguely retro items, some of which as individual items might be preppy. Many in the blogosphere might consider that sort of thing preppy.

I couldn’t wear that outfit anywhere. Not to my law office, not to my downtown club, not to the yacht club, not to a prep school or college reunion or alumni event, not to a dinner party, not horseback riding or sailing, not for gardening, not to the golf club. I can conclude only that the book is aimed squarely at the college-age and younger sets. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

Again, to be fair to Mr Banks, he spent a formative part of his career with RL. It seems impossible to come out of that environment with as much judgement on proper Ivy, as the newest reader here.

Another alum of RL, got his training as a part time retail salesperson with RL, and today has a very successful message board touting his vast knowledge of the men’s clothing world.

Guy apparently does quite well endorsing things like pre tied bow ties, with a rubber duck motif.
Can’t knock the immense success, of Ralph, or his disciples. Most are hugely successful in their endeavors, in the world of men’s clothing.

Can’t argue with superb RL results. Just look at the number of guys wearing polo shirts with ponies @ 8″ tall on the chest, that think that viewers assume that they are aristocratic polo players.

Like all the wackiness that shows up in academia simply because someone studying Shakespeare 400 years after his death has to say something ‘original’ in a doctoral thesis, what goes for preppy fashion these days seems more like shallow exhibitionism for its own sake (and, granted, for the sake of sales…). Nose rings were also a ‘go to hell’ look when they appeared, and I can’t see the trend, represented by this self-conscious Jackson Pollock of an outfit having any staying power.

The metaphor, of course, refers not to judging books, but to judging people on the basis of how they dress. Do we not, in fact, do that every day? Doesn’t the fact that a chap prefers a blue OCBD, a strlped tie, a navy blazer, gray flannels, and cordovan brogues to polyester pajamas and a baseball cap tell us something about him?

This whole discussion seems to center around the cover of the book. Clearly it is or was inspired by RL advertising. It is a given that those items would not be worn in that manner. That said the image is very strong visually and looks like a photograph that would be put on a book jacket. I am having difficulty telling if the objection is just on atheistic grounds or if the author is viewed as an intruder. Initially I was wondering if some of the readership is not familiar with the products that Rizolli produces. Their books have a mix of images fashion, art and archival. They are usually accompanied by text commensurate to the subject. Past books that spring to mind include “Jocks and Nerds” and “Tartan Romancing the plaid” Until review copies of this book start trickling out I do not believe a fair assessment can be made.

I think the sociological tone of the discussion is right on — to me, “preppy” and “ivy” are not fashion (as in “preppy is the new black, dahling”), but world views — lifestyle rather than ‘style.’ Reading blogs about the background of the world I live in, like the excellent Press piece recently, is as satisfying as fantasy football must be to others. Will books on preppy style still be coming out two years from now, when the current wave has receded? Hopefully yes (they help keep my OCBDs and Weejuns on store shelves), but hopefully they will also reflect more on the preppy essentials of public service, leadership, and charity. I honestly don’t care who wears what, but if you want to live a lifestyle, please learn the whole culture, not just the superficialities. (How misplaced do people look in safari clothes at the supermarket?) It doesn’t matter a damn how hooked your vent is if you have a real spirit of oblige.